Late Night Milkshakes
by DryMittens
Summary: Down on her luck, Bella finds herself working as a waitress in the most retro diner in Forks, Washington. A staple hot spot for all nightly cravings of milkshakes and strawberry pancakes, everyone stops by for a quick bite to eat. Even a mysterious man in a baseball cap and ripped jeans,who visits during all of Bella's late night shifts.AH,slice of life,with your favorite M themes.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: So, I'm not good at these *awkwardly waves***

 **Updates will be once a week, some chapters longer than others, because I'm transitioning into my Fall semester of college and things are guaranteed to be very hectic. _Late Night Milkshakes_ is a little slice of life with the potential for some angst, mostly it's just meant to make you giggle or blush. **

**Some quick notes: Like all the stories I write, the year is somewhere between 2009-2012. These were some of the best years of my life, so I enjoy this kind of setting...regardless of it's significance to the general plot. Oh, and I don't have beta so all grammar mistakes belong to me. The characters belong to SM.**

 **I hope ya'll enjoy the chapter!**

Chapter I

"One chicks on a raft, hold the cow paste!"

"Looks like the English are in town, cause we gtta burn the British!"

"Table six is missing their sea dust, Bella! Hurry, Bella!"

Newton's Diner is abuzz with laughter and hunger as the dinner rush begins. The retro diner sits comfortably the edge of Forks, a staple hot-spot for all nightly cravings of milkshakes and burgers.

The is staff dressed in mustard yellow shirts and faded blue skirts, paired with Newton Diner's signature blue roller-skates. The only exception to the infamous roller-skate rule is the kitchen staff and Mrs. Newton, who worked as the eyes and ears of the diner, dealing with costumer complaints and everything that has to do with money. A shrewd old women, Mrs. Newton seldom had anything nice to say, but is a well-respected member in Forks society. For all her harsh words and high expectations, she had a habit of being right.

In the kitchen, Mr. Newton handled most of the cooking himself. A stubborn old man, nearing the age of sixty, believes any extra hands in the kitchen would only slow him down and lessen the quality of food. With over forty years of experience, there was no arguing with Mr. Newton. That was until he had a stroke a year ago. Mrs. Newton, with the support of the doctors, triumphantly convinced Mr. Newton to hire a few more hands.

In addition to the big bosses of the restaurants, there are three regular waitresses: Jessica, Angela, and Lauren. Jessica and Lauren worked at Newton's since their Sophomore year of high school, while Angela started a year ago. Angela worked as the Assistant Liberian at Forks Library, a job that brought her great pleasure, but after some rowdy high schoolers pulled a bad prank that involved candles, the whole place burned down, forcing Angela to seek employment elsewhere.

As Forks Library is three months away from completion, Mrs. Newton felt it was time to look for a replacement.

And so she found one in the Chief of Police's daughter. A quiet, clumsy girl she is; likable but ill suited for a career as waitress. Mrs. Newton was becoming frustrated with the girl, for she frequently messed up orders and dropped things. The only reason Mrs. Newton restrained herself from firing the girl was out of respect for Charlie, and his current condition.

"It's God testing your patience," Mr. Newton joked one night before bed. He laid on their shared feather bed, rubbing his beer gut with a smirk,"The Shrew has no choice, which drives her mad." With that, he entered a chuckling fit as Mrs. Newton stared, glaring at him.

The following weeks were rough, and Mrs. Newton was slowly gaining the courage to fire the girl.

Mrs. Newton rounded the corner of the bar to see Bella feverishly writing down on a notepad, her bun messy and her top drenched in sweat. Jessica, who followed behind Mrs. Newton, clicked her tongue and Bella immediately stopped what she was doing to stare helplessly at Mrs. Newton.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Bella cried shuffling her papers around,"Everyone is going so fast, I can hardly keep up."

Jessica picked up some of the tickets and started to giggle as she read them," Look Mrs. Newton, she's writing everything word for word."

"Are you laughing, Jessica?" Mrs. Newton raised an eyebrow, remembering Jessica's first week at Newton's Diner. She spilled, tripped, and knocked over everything in her path.

Jessica turned pink as the memories flooded in.

"I should of known better than to start you off on ticket duty on a Saturday," Mrs. Newton helped Bella stand up and brushed the hair from Bella's face,"Go to the back, fix yourself up, and help with dishes."

"But what about tickets," Bella protested, holding up a pile of crumpled, blue tickets.

"Jessica will be a sweat-heart and take over ticketing," Mrs. Newton did not wait for Jessica's words of protest before ushering Bella to the back.

Bella was disappointed in herself, she wanted to make a good impression on Mrs. Newton, who hired Bella despite her lackluster resume. Bella was so grateful to have a job, even if it was at a diner.

Bella moved from her mother's house in Arizona six months ago, and flew back to her childhood house in Forks. The adjustment from the sunny, bustling city of Phoenix to the rainy, mundane Forks was difficult for Bella.

In the bathroom, she stared into the mirror, unable to recognize the once ambitious, optimistic girl she had been when she graduated high school. She felt like the world was her's for the taking, like nothing could hold her back from obtaining her dreams. She had a full ride to the University of Phoenix, job security in one of the residential offices on campus, and had enough money saved up for a used car.

But then her dad called, and she had to forget her future.

Bella wet her hair and styled it into a low pony-tale. She washed her face and hands, took a deep breath and put on her hairnet.

The rest of the dinner rush passed smoothly, Newton's Diner was a well-oiled machine that not even Bella could disrupt.

Washing dishes was an easy enough task that not even Bella could mess up. For all Bella's shortcomings, she always did what she was told without complaining. Mrs. Newton came to check on Bella every few hours, making sure that the staff still had their hands and nothing was ablaze. After awhile, Mrs. Newton began to feel bad for submitting Bella to bus-girl, it wasn't a fun job, and she never made anyone do dishes for hours straight.

Around 10pm, Bella had cleaned nearly all of the dirty pots and pans when Mrs. Newton called her out front.

Bella hung her blue apron on the rack and tired the white one on in it's place.

"I'm having Angela leave early, while Jessica and Lauren help close the kitchen. I'm going to begin counting the registers in my office, while you, my pretty girl, will act as the leading waitress for the rest of the night," Mrs. Newton smiled encouragingly. It gave her great anxiety to leave Bella in charge, but she really did feel bad for the girl.

"Are you sure?" Bella asked, grimacing. Granted, the diner will close in two hours, but the last thing Bella wanted was to disappoint Mrs. Newton twice in one day.

"I'm more than sure, honey. People rarely come this late, you'll be bored if anything. When there's no one here, or if you're waiting on an order, do busy work. Make sure the tables are clean, the dressings stocked, ect," She rubbed Bella's arms encouragingly before going to through the double doors.

As promised, the next hour passed by slowly. There were a few stragglers, who had simple orders, and as Mrs. Newton foresaw, Bella begun to get bored.

Bella was wiping down the bar for the third time when the wind chimes above the entrance went off. Immediately, Bella stopped what she was doing and picked up her notepad.

A tall man in a baseball hat, green hoodie, and ripped jeans walked in. Without waiting to be seated, he went to an empty booth at the far end of the diner. Bella stared for a minute, and crinkled her nose because he looked so dirty. His brown boots were covered in grass, dirt, and mud. Bella made a mental note to scrub that booth clean after he leaves.

"Good evening, sir," She greeted him cheerfully, in a way that was comforting but not overbearing, as Mrs. Newton had taught her. "Can I start you off with a drink?" Bella asked as she laid the menu in front of him.

For a minute, the man sat starring at the menu. The silent made Bella uncomfortable, she cleared her throat as politely as she could, but he made no move to answer. Bella was about to try for a second time when his lip twitched. Like he was amused that she was still standing there, "You can get me a black coffee, if you want."

The way he said it, it was like he was doing her a favor.

Bella was shocked at his behavior, it was cocky and lazy, as if we were all on his time. Knowing Mrs. Newton was nearby stopped Bella from calling him out on this, her need for a job triumphed her desire to hurt his ego. Despite every fiber in her being that encouraged her to pour a piping cup of black coffee over his head, she smiled and said:"Of course."

Watching her struggle internally caused him chuckle softly.

Bella returned to the mystery man shortly, with a cup of fresh coffee, "Are you ready to order or would you like some more time to decide?"

Again, the man did not answer right away. He took a sip of the coffee, used a napkin to wipe some of the dirt from his hands, and then closed the menu.

Bella's left hand clenched into a fist. She quickly brought both hands behind her, refusing to show another break in her professional composure.

"A stack of strawberry pancakes, no butter or syrup," he handed Bella the menu. Bella stared at his hand for a second, despite his attempt to clean his hands with the napkin, there was still dirt under his finger nails.

"Right away, sir." Was all Bella said before she grabbed the menu, deliberately taking it from the edges.

Bella wrote down his order on a ticket, and hung it up for Mr. Newton. The pancakes took a little longer than usual since it was so close to closing.

While the pancakes cooked, Bella stayed behind the counter, refusing to go near the man unless she had to. Although she pretended to clean, she watched him from the corner of her eye. He didn't take out his phone or anything, instead he would feverishly write in a small, yellow notepad. Bella couldn't tell what he was writing from afar, but when he grunted, held up his hand and pointed to his now empty cup of coffee, Bella was able to come closer to inspect the notepad. It looked like a list of sorts, it was hard to tell because his hand writing looked like straight up chicken scratch.

Bella silently filled up his cup before returning behind the counter.

The mystery man did not speak or look up for the rest of the night, not even when Bella gave him the pancakes. He did not touch his pancakes, either.

It was not until Bella switched the neon lights that said "on" off, that he suddenly dropped his pen and begun to devour his pancakes. It was barely five minutes late when he took his last bite. Bella made her way back to his table, the check in hand, that the man abruptly got up. As if sensing her, he gathered his belongings and stormed out the door.

Bella half ran to his table, ready to chase him out into the streets, when she saw a twenty-dollar bill folded neatly under the napkins.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:**

I need to apologize, I published the first chapter when I shouldn't have. It was my first semester of college and I underestimated exactly how busy and stress that would make me. Fanfiction took a back seat to my education, I hope you can understand. Thankfully, it is summer time and I have absolutely no responsibilities. I can say with confidence that you can expect another chapter within the next two weeks!

Buckle up and prepare for a slice of dinerward. What's your favorite milkshake? My favorite are oreo milkshakes, mmm!

All characters belong to Stephine Myer, I'm just playing with the plot.

This story does not have a beta. All mistakes belong to me. I will eventually go back and edit this chapter and the last one!

 **Chapter II**

The atmosphere at Newton's Diner was different during the week, everyone was more laid back and happier.

Mr. Newton would even leave his kitchen to innocently flirt with the waitresses while Mrs. Newton rolled her eyes and chuckled at his comments. Their relationship was easy going during the weeks, too. However, on the weekends they're at each other's throats, always blaming each other for any mishaps. Last weekend, Mrs. Newton was shouting at Mr. Newton in the kitchen because he failed to cook the meat thoroughly for the second time that day, "One more slip up and I promise I'll burn down this whole restaurant!" And then Mr. Newton laughed maniacally at her retreating figure, "As if you could! You love this damn shit-hole more than ever loved me!"

The first time Bella witnessed one of their arguments, she was horror struck, asking Angela if she should intervene. To which, Angela shook her head, "That'll just make things worse. Just leave them alone." Leaving them alone turned out to be the best choice, by the end of the night they were stealing kisses when they thought no one was paying attention.

The more time Bella spent at Newton's Diner, the more confident she became. She went to the other waitresses for help less often and seemed to take control of difficult situations on her own, like when Old Lady Crowley begun shouting that her eggs were too salty. Instead of breaking down and going to Mrs. Newton, Bella simply apologized and promised that the eggs would be on the house. To which, Old Lady Crowley smiled and called Bella a "sweet piece."

Bella's newfound confidence and ability to handle difficult costumers did not escape Mrs. Newton's attention, who decided that Bella had completed the training process. Usually it took the new waitresses about two weeks before they were promoted to a full-time position, but it had taken Bella three weeks, which Jessica liked to point out whenever Bella asked a question. Nonetheless, Mrs. Newton's faith in Bella's abilities proved to be worthwhile because Bella had the best worth ethic.

With a full-time position came with significantly more hours and responsibilities. Bella's usual weekend hours were up'd to nearly everyday except for Wednesdays and half-days on Thursdays. The hours were long, almost eleven hour shifts every day were exhausting, causing Bella to fall asleep almost immediately when she got home.

If Bella felt stressed and over-worked, she showed no signs as she always came to walk with a smile and positive attitude. By no means was Bella a great waitress, or even a good one, but her attitude and worth-ethic impressed Mrs. Newton enough to make her a name tag. The name tag was knitted out of wire and fabric, and letters were red and stitched with care; knitting was one of the many talents Mrs. Newton possessed. Bella graciously accepted the name tag, taking it as a symbol of Mrs. Newton confidence in her and an official introduction as a waitress.

Besides the slight tension in Bella's relationship with Jessica, who seemed to really dislike Bella for some reason, everything was started to fall into place.

Everything except the late night visitor, who showed up every weekend, conveniently every time Bella worked as head waitress.

Bella has yet to see his face, because he always dressed in hoodies and beanies, never making eye contact with Bella. The most she had seen of him was his pale hands and penny-colored hair that poked out from under his black beanie. But that was it. His cocky, disinterested attitude did not wavier over the weeks, the only reason Bella was ever able to stay calm was because he tipped well. He tipped double the expected amount and left his dishes neatly stacked in the middle of the table.

Although the tips were nice, Bella couldn't help but ask Mrs. Newton if she knew the man. To which Mrs. Newton shook her head, she did not know the man Bella was referring to off the vague description alone. She was always in her officer during the evenings counting the registers and tickets. One time Lauren came out from the back to leave home a few minutes before closing and spotted the man, she stopped and said "Huh, I've never seen him here before." Bella looked at Lauren, wanting to ask if that were true. But she wasn't looking at Bella, instead she was counting her tips before shoving them into her pocket and walking out without a goodbye. Lauren was funny like that, unlike Jessica who made her distaste for Bella obvious, Lauren simply acted as if Bella didn't exist.

The next day, both Lauren and Jessica appeared from the back to look at the man. They were not-so-subtly looking at the man and giggling among themselves, trying to get his attention. But their attempts were futile because he didn't even so much as glance in their directions, he was too engrossed in his scribbles. He did that a lot, write in his notebook. The man would walk into the restaurant, sit down, and pull out his notebook and write until the diner was about to close. Then, he would put it back into his pocket and devour his food.

After that, he quickly became the talk of the diner, the Mystery Man Who Likes Strawberry Milkshakes and Pancakes. Jessica swears that he is her soulmate, which is interesting because she is the vain, self-absorbed type. Angela pointed this out once and Jessica scoffed, "If he's ugly then he's not actually my soulmate." She said it matter of factually, like it was an obvious and acceptable response. Lauren thought Jessica was crazy but encouraged her fantasies because what else was there to do? Forks is a tiny town and there was never anyone interesting _and_ new who passed through.

The man's face and identity was revealed after three weeks of gossip and speculations.

The night started off normally, the diner was empty and Bella was working her shift as head waitress when the door opened and a warm breeze spread through the small diner. Bella didn't have to look up to know who walked in because he came in around the same time every weekend. Bella turned around to pick up a fresh pot of black coffee as she made her way to his usual table. The man was wearing his hoodie still and already scribbling down feverishly while she poured a coffee into his cup.

"Good evening, sir. The usual?"

He nodded.

Bella walked towards the open window separating the kitchen from the main dining area. Bella hung a blue ticket on the string with his order written on it, hit the bell and turned around. She planned on refilling the salt shakers but stopped dead in her track when she glanced at the man. His notebook was nowhere to be seen and his hoodie was laying on the table. As if he sensed her stares, he looked over at her and stared back.

His face was angular and defined, with high cheek bones and a strong jaw. He was very pale with dark circles under his eyes, like he hasn't slept well in a few days, if not for the light shade of pink that colored his cheeks and neck, Bella would have thought he was sick. He had thick brows that matched the color of his hair, which was a penny-like shade with bronze strands sprinkled throughout. But it was his eyes that captivated Bella, which were an intense forest green shade that popped out against the white of his face and black of his clothes.

Bella quickly shook her head, trying to gain some composure, but it was too late. He was smirking and seemed amused by her reaction, he knew she was checking him out. Bella wanted to look away from him but his intense stare refused to let her, she wondered how they probably looked just staring at one another from across the diner.

It was not until a loud "ding" broke her trance, forcing her to turn around and grab his food and drink from the window.

Bella was clumsy, but today was extra-clumsy, a walking train-wreck. She nearly slipped on her roller skates as she made her way to the man _twice,_ which only made him smile wider, revealing perfectly straight white teeth. She carefully set the food on the table as he watched her struggle to maintain her balance and breathing. When the food made it onto the table safely, she dared to sneak a peak at him, which revealed that he was still looking at her.

"You alright, Bella?"

"Um...yeah, the floor its, uh, just been waxed." Bella knew her excuse was lame, which made her blush to the root of her hair.

His eyebrows shot up as he took in her blush.

"Are you embarrassed, Bella?" He sounded confused and interested.

"Um, no...H-How do you know my name?" Bella demanded, he didn't look familiar.

This made him smile, "You are wearing a name-tag, babe."

 _Babe?_ That made the blush return, much to the stranger's satisfaction. Bella was used to these terms of endearment, but it was usually from the older men who knew her dad. The young boys, usually around high school age, who tried to talk to Bella like that were quickly put in their place. Bella wanted to tell to this man to watch his mouth or tell him to leave, because Bella should have been creep'd out, but she was oddly flattered. Which only made her blush worse, she felt less professional and more like an idiot school girl with a crush.

"Yeah, right," was all Bella could respond with before turning and skating away.

Bella tried to keep her distance from the man for the rest of the night, but it was hard because he would always look around for her and ask her for things like another knife or more coffee. Each time he would call her "babe" and make her blush, Bella was quick to catch on that he may have been doing it on purpose. As she watched him towards the end of his meal, she begun to work up her courage to tell him off. She plotted in her head the tone of her voice and the exact words she'd use to ensure that _he_ would be the one blushing out of embarrassment. Maybe too ashamed to visit the diner again.

Bella saw her opportunity when he started to gather his things, to which she quickly skated over and said, "Would you like your check, sir?"

He smirked, again. He noticed the change in her voice, which was clearer and confident.

"No, I'm good, I know how much it is." He stood up, which made Bella shrink back a little bit. She didn't notice until now how much taller he was compare to her, easily over six feet three. His build was lean and toned, not even his dark clothing could hide his athletic build. Bella felt the blush creep back up as he reached into his back pocket to pull out his wallet. He handed Bella a twenty dollar bill and smiled again when she took, "Thank you for the delicious meal, babe." His eyes were smoldering again, forcing Bella to simply stare back.

The man started to walk towards the door when Bella snapped out of her trance.

"Hey!" She called.

He looked over her shoulder, clearly taken off guard. He stopped, staring and waiting for her respond.

"Um, my name is Bella."

"I know."

"So don't call me babe, my name is Bella." She finished confidently, a small smile on her lips because she was proud that she said it. But her smile faltered when he started to chuckle.

"But you like being called Babe, Bella. Your blush defies your statement." He kept chuckling and Bella was too shocked at his boldness to respond fast enough. He quickly walked out the door and into the blackness of the Forks night sky.

Bella started to feel stupid, because he saw right through her and found it hilarious. She didn't want to cry, so she started to feel angry, ready to talk to Mrs. Newton about not allowing him into the diner.

She turned to pick up his dishes when she noticed a small piece of paper on the table, it had jagged edgers which suggested that it was ripped from a notebook. Curious, Bella went closer to inspect the note which was hard to read because of how poorly written it was.

 _Call me, babe. 777-0637_


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:**

I'm proud of myself for getting this out on time after a serve ear infection and a proposal due. Enjoy!

Also, Twilight belongs to SM and all that. I'm just a girl with an active imagination.

 **WARNING:** **This chapter deals with dark situations, this is about as dark as things will be. It'll be lighter and smoother sailing after this chapter...**

Chapter III

The mystery man was undoubtedly gorgeous. Bella would be lying if she said she wasn't captivated by him as she found herself thinking about him more often than she cares to admit. However attracted she is to him, Bella knows she doesn't have time for him, or for any guy actually. Between her long hours at Newton and her responsibilities at home, Bella was swamped. Not only did she not have time to spare, she was in desperate need for more of it. She recalled those lazy summer days when she had not responsibilities, where it felt like she had _too_ much time.

Nonetheless, the ripped piece of paper with the man's number on it weighed heavily in her pocket.

A few days after her encounter with the man who insisted on calling her "baby," Forks was hit by the first of many rainstorms that make it a notoriously green and wetland. Bella thought of the storm as a promise from mother nature, that the rainstorms will return and frequently.

The drive home that night was rough, not only because the rain was so heavy that seeing became a challenge, but because it had been raining profusely the past few days. As a result, the unpaved, dirt roads were especially difficult to trek through, even with the large tires on her Chevy. It took Bella an additional twenty minutes to get home, she knew an accident was promised if she went above fifteen miles an hour.

It didn't help that Bella's house was difficult to reach on a good day as it is located further into the woods. Other homes in Forks are located on suburban strip, people in Forks literately grow up on the same street as their classmates. There were very few homes outside this strip, with the trailer homes closer to the main roads and the wealthy residences deep in the forest. These homes were usually vacant during the winter because the owners only use them during the summer as a campy-get-away for their families. Those kinds of families that crave the small-time life when it's easy, not when its the dead of winter and the lights stop working and the heat.

The only reason Bella's home was not located on the strip was because of Bella's mom, who hated all of the homes available for purchase. Forks natives rarely leave, making the real estate market very competitive with few selections. So Charlie used up all his savings and took out a loan to build their home, which was a modest size. When it was built, the house was a bright white with a vibrant blue door and red shutters. But after years of heavy storms and not enough money for touch ups, the paint was chipping and dulling.

The lawn was always well manicured when Bella was young because her dad worked tirelessly on his prized front garden. She has vivid memories of Charlie wearing a white tank top and jeans while he watered his tulips and tomatoes. _Strawberry Wine_ by Deana Carter played over Charlie's old speakers, radio signals were non-existent around his house, forcing him to play the same five songs on a cassette tape. Bella would draw on the driveway with her chalk and would frequently drag Charlie over to admire her drawings. Those were her best memories, she remembered how easily and often her dad smiled, his happiness radiating off him.

There was little left of her father's gardening work, the relentless rain of Forks made things grow fast. The grass was overgrown and the large hanging tree needed some serious trimming with one of the branches hanging dangerously close to the upstairs window, one more bad rain storm and surely the branch would go straight through. Bella made a mental note to call someone about that.

Bella left her truck in the driveway, too tired to manually open the garage door.

The house was dark when Bella walked in and _very_ chilly. She sighed, dropped her keys onto the side table and kicked off her flats. As she made her way through the foray and into the electricity closet, she tossed her jacket onto the floor. She made a mental note to pick it up before she goes to bed. Bella tried to turn on the light but it simply made a soft hissing noise. She opened the tool box that was tucked into a compartment under one of the boxes and fumbled around until she a felt a long, hard object that she recognized as a flashlight. Bella had to smack it a few times before it turned on. She focused it onto the wall where a bunch of switches are located, all unlabeled. Thankfully, she memorized which did what.

Bella flipped a few switches and played with a wire until there was a soft hum and all the lights all flickered on.

Turning off the flashlight and shutting the door softly she heard a grunt.

"I didn't hear you pull up, Bells. Woulda' had that fixed long before you came in, but I lost track of time."

Bella smiled sadly, "I know, Dad. Don't worry about it."

She walked into the living room where Charlie Swan was laying on the couch. The man who was once six foot three and over two-hundred pounds, with long, thick curly hair looked nothing like his formal self. Laying in a pile of thick, wool blankets, with a thin wisp of graying hair covering the top of his head and weighing almost as much as Bella. His skin lost most of its color, instead it was pale, with his blue veins protruding, especially on his face. His lips thin, chapped and dark bags under his eyes.

All proof of his losing battle against cancer and his missing right hand a product of frost bite from last winter.

Its hard to believe Charlie is the same man as the one who made the women in Forks blush when he was near. It was part of the reason Bella's mother, Renee, was so charmed by him. She was a Seattle city girl on an adventure with one of her boyfriends in the eighties when they passed through Forks. At one of the convenient stores, she saw him. Standing with his shirt off, fixing the air-conditioning system with well define, thick muscles and a hairy chest. Bella remembers how her mother's eyes glazed over whenever she recounted these memories, it was obvious how absolutely smitten she was. Renee returned two months later, single and looking for Charlie. When she found him, she didn't leave again for the next ten years.

They got married six months after an intense, world-wind of a romance. Twenty-one at the time, Renee dropped out of college to purse a life as a small-town wife with a house that has white picket fence. Bella was born three years into their romance and they all lived happily with their small-town life until Renee visited Seattle again. There, she met Phil Dwyer, a man six years younger than her, and a free spirit with dreams of moving to Florida. Like before, Renee picked up her things a few months later and moved in with Phil, dragging Bella with her.

Although Renee didn't care much about anyone in Forks, she was determined not to have the reputation of "neglectful, runaway mom." She knows the people of Forks never forget or forgive.

The abrupt loss of both his wife and daughter were damaging to Charlie. There were whispers in the town that Charlie was never the same again.

"Dad...you could have called me from work. I would have come right over to fix the electricity," Bella whispered as she pulled out another blanket from the closet and laid it over his feet.

"Nonsense, I'm a grown man. I can fix it myself," he mumbled angrily.

It was this stubborn attitude that prevented him from calling Bella sooner. He didn't even call Bella, in all honesty, it was Mrs. Newton who called Bella six months ago. She was vague but determined to convince Bella to return to Forks after nearly six years. She didn't think much about why it was Mrs. Newton who called and not Charlie, but she didn't hesitate to get on the next flight to Forks, feeling guilty for not visiting Charlie more often. Bella expected to see her father exactly how she remembered, maybe with a few grey hairs and a beer gut, not a broken man sitting in the middle of the living room crying because he was so cold and too weak to move.

They haven't talked about what happened that day, Charlie likes to think Bella is only in town for an extended visit, that she'll return to Chicago soon for school. He likes to brag about how intelligent his daughter is at some big city, making something of herself.

"I'm going to make some cauliflower soup with some grilled chicken, want any?" Bella asked nonchalantly, knowing Charlie probably hasn't eaten since breakfast.

He shrugged, "If there's extra, sure. Don't worry about it, kid, I can whip something up in a few minutes. Maybe some steak and rice."

An hour later, Charlie sat bundled up at the kitchen table eating a large bowl of soup while Bella stole some glances, making sure he was chewing. When their silent dinner was over, Bella cleaned up the dishes and put the leftovers in a plastic container in the fridge. Still in her work dress, Bella changed the sheets on the couch, ignoring the pee stains, and tossed it in the dryer. She layered the blankets, fluffed the pillows, and put a bottle of water on the coffee table before returning to the kitchen. Her dad was staring intently at the newspaper, his eyebrows furrowed.

"I'm going to bed now, need help getting to bed?"

"Of course not, I just wanna get some reading in before bed. Get some sleep, you've been working like dead, Scout."

She went over, kissed his forehead and went up the stairs. Bella took a quick shower, brushed her teeth, and combed through her stubborn curls before braiding it. Wearing fresh pajamas, Bella went backstairs to the kitchen where she knew Charlie would be, with his head resting on the table and his eyes closed, soft snores coming from his mouth. Bella walked over, and wrapped an arm around his back and lifted. He grumbled but did not object as they walked together to the living room. She helped him onto the couch and tucked him in.

Charlie fell asleep almost immediately, warm and comfortable.

Bella looked at the grandfather clock that once belong to Grandpa Swan, it was almost two in the morning and Bella had to be up early tomorrow to help open. She sighed and made her way back upstairs, to her childhood bedroom. She knew that Charlie hasn't stepped foot in her room in years, her pink My Little Pony bed set and cob webs on the ceiling told her that much. Bella has been meaning to head to the convenient store for the past few months.

As Bella laid out her clothes for the next day, she remembered the piece of paper that now sat on her computer desk.

She starred at it for a long time before sighing, crumpling it up, and tossing it into the garbage bin.

* * *

 **Sorry for the uneventful chapter, I just wanted to dedicated a whole chapter to explain exactly where Charlie has been. It's pretty depressing but I promise HEA and fluff from this point forward!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I am so, so, so sorry for the long wait. Life sometimes catches up to you and writers block hits you. Although I can never confidently promise frequent updates, I can promise you that this story will be finished. I love the characters and I can not rest comfortably until Bella's story is told. I need to write the happy ending just as desperately as you want to read it! Expect the next chapter soon.**

* * *

 **Chapter IV**

The following morning was hectic because Bella slept through her morning alarm, only to wake up thirty minutes before her morning shift.

Bella had to skip her usual morning routine, which consists of shower concerts and her signature buttermilk pancakes. This morning Bella barely had enough time to change her underwear and brush her teeth. After helping Charlie with his medicine, leaving a plate of pop-tarts on the coffee table, and cranking the heater to the maximum temperature, Bella was out the door in her over-sized red winter coat. She couldn't even wait for the heat to kick in before having to pull out of the driveway.

Although it was impossible for Bella to make it across town in time for work, she nonetheless kept looking at the clock and tapping her fingers against the steering wheel impatiently at red lights.

 _If only time would stand still for just a moment,_ Bella thought on the verge of tears.

Bella was over thirty minutes late for her shift at Newton's and she felt awful.

As she walked in, with her face bright red due to both the cold and her embarrassment, Mrs. Newton was standing near the entrance. She caught Bella's eyes, her blue eyes narrowed and her thin lips pressed into a hard line. With a single look, Bella knew she was in a lot of trouble, she started towards Mrs. Newton, her apology ready.

Mrs. Newton held up her hands, stopping Bella before she started, "No one is more sympathetic or understanding of your situation than me, Bella. Charlie is like a son to me, I damn near raised him myself when his mother died. But I cannot let you take advantage of my kindness, the world will never be as kind to you. The sooner you learn this, the easier things will be," she sighed and pulled out an envelope from her pocket, "This was your third strike, Miss. Swan. You were slow to finish your basic training, you were short $40 during your last shift, and this is your second tardy in a month. It pains me to do this, but business is business, and I mean business. Please remove your apron, return your skates, and leave the diner without a scene." Mrs. Newton held out two hands, one empty waiting for an apron and another with Bella's last paycheck.

Bella wanted to protest, to beg for another, but the hard and determined look in Mrs. Newton's eyes stopped her. It was bad enough that Mrs. Newton thought of Bella as burdensome, she could not be pitied, too.

Bella lifted her chin, removed her apron, and took her check.

"Thank you for this opportunity," Bella turned on her heel and walked stiffly out.

Mrs. Newton looked after Bella with pride in her eyes while the rest of the diner looked after Bella with sadness, evidently listening in on the entire exchange. After a moment Mrs. Newton looked around at the quiet diner, frowned, and mumbled "You nosy people should have shame! Its best that you should all mind your business before I remove you from my restaurant, too!"

Bella successfully held back her tears until she got into the truck. In the comfort of her van, she allowed her tears to fall freely and she laid her head against the steering wheel.

 _What am I going to do? How am I going to support Charlie?_

These thoughts caused her whole body to shake. Bella was glad the snow was so thick this morning, no one would be able to see her breakdown. She hardly noticed when she left, but now it was hard to ignore the large, white fluff falling from the sky in chunks.

The snow fell hard and heavy on Forks that night.

* * *

December 1st, 2007

It's been two weeks since Bella was fired from Newton's.

At first, she was optimistic about her future. Bella was confident she would find a new job before Christmas, but she underestimated the fragile economy of small towns. There were hardly any jobs available for anyone, the only openings involved fishing, lumber, and driving across country. And Bella had none of the licenses required for those jobs. The local lodges, which housed tourists during the winter months, had long filled up all their positions.

Bella wakes up every morning around six, in order to beat the morning rush, and head into the town to ask around for potential jobs. Webber's Foods would occasionally hire Bella for the day because one of the cashiers, old lady Betty, would call out if the snow got too bad. If Webber's Food did not need Bella, she would sit at Forks Library till mid-afternoon, reading or writing. She loved to mooch off the free internet. She would write to her mother, glossing over her hardships and fears, and focusing on the weather or Charlie's condition. Renée expressed her absolute compassion and sympathy for Charlie, claiming to love him more dearly than anyone could know. A stranger would read Renée's emails and swoon at the romantic words, perhaps call her a saint for caring deeply about an ex-husband. But Bella knew Renée, and her words were empty. Renée would never visit Charlie and if Bella were to return to Phoenix, Renée would not think about Charlie twice. Moreover, when Bella requested some financial assistance to help with Charlie's medical bills, she sent seventy dollars in the mail with a letter attached saying that Phil is uncomfortable supporting Charlie and this is all he would permit.

 _As much as I adore my Charlie, I am first and foremost a wife to Phil. I cannot disrespect my marriage by going behind his back and force him to support an ex-husband of mine. Phil works so hard, my dear. Up at the crack of dawn and home long after sun-set, for an income meant to support me. One day I pray you will understand the sacrifices necessary for a healthy marriage. All I can offer to Charlie in these coming months is prayer and love._

That letter frustrated Bella, so much so that she hardly calls Renée anymore and only writes when she's free.

When Bella got home that night, Charlie was having one of his better days. Still confined to the couch, he could reach for the television remote without any assistance and chew more solids.

"Hi scout," he called as she closed the front door, "You're home a bit early. How was the diner? Mrs. Newton treating you alright?"

Bella was a horrible liar, her cheeks flare up and her voice cracks. But Charlie is a considerable distance away from Bella, which made the words easier for her say, "The diner is great, not too many customers tonight. Mrs. Newton let me pack up early because Angela offered to stay the night."

The rest of the night went by normally, Bella cooked and Charlie ate two servings of the chicken broth. She helped Charlie into a new pair of pajamas and put him into a comfortable sleeping position before retiring to bed.

When Bella opened her eyes the next morning it was four-thirty, she did not wake up so early because of her alarm today. Rather, it was her teeth that woke her up, they were chattering so hard and her body trembles were so intense she could be convulsing. Bella tried tightening the blankets around her and burying her face into the pillow, begging for the warmth to hit her. It took her a few moments to process the severity of the coldness and what it meant. When it did, she threw her blankets off and ran downstairs. Charlie was still sleeping, but when Bella felt his forehead the blood drained from her body, he was ice-cold and his breathing ragged. She immediately ran back upstairs, tore her blanket off the floor, and went back downstairs with a hat in her other hand. She laid the blanket over charlie and the hat over his forehead. Bella cranked the hot water on in the sink and laid a towel under it. The hot water refused to come out, the pipes and air were too cold. So she had boil some water.

While the water boiled, she went into the electricity room and tried to turn on the heater. The heater thumped and croaked but would not turn on. Bella had to pull out the small, portable heater from the shelf and hook it up in the living room near Charlie. Afterwards, she ran the boiling water over a hand towel, which she put on Charlie's forehead. Afterwards, she bundled up and headed into town.

The town square consisted of five shops surrounding a small park, these shops were all family owned: Webber's Foods, Moe's Equipment, Forge Bar, Elizabeth's Salon, and Newton's Diner. One side of the street held only the post office and the mayor's office. For many locals, a night out in Forks consist of a visit to Forge Bar and eating beef jerky by a nearby lake, all before retiring back home before ten. Throughout the week, the town's square is quiet with the exception of a few mother's with their children at the supermarket or Elizabeth's salon. Newton's Dinner is the only place in Forks that has any sign of civilization at all hours, even the young town-folk gravitated towards the diner.

Bella parked in front of Moe's Equipment and walked into the small, warm building. As Bella walks into the shop, her eyes have to adjust to the dim lights and the pungent of polished wood and live bait. The bell above the entrance door rings when the door is opened and a young, black guy with a thick beard and shaved head looks up from his magazine. He stares at Bella for a second before he offers a toothy-smile, "Well, well, well, if I'm not mistake'n, Isabella Swan is here. Flesh and blood and all!"

Bella laughed awkwardly and waved weakly, "Hey Tyler."

Tyler Crowley was part of "The Trio," a group of three good-looking boys who engaged in a lot of mischief during their teen years. Although Bella only spent a few weeks at a time in Forks growing up, she knew the infamous Trio well. Her dad hated them because they were oftentimes the source of all nightly problems in Forks. She vividly remembers her dad coming home from work angry and frustrated by these boys, never sparing Bella from his rants. "No self-control! It's embarrassing. The only one who is scared senseless by my threats and presence is the Newton boy. But I would be fooling myself if I thought it was only me that causes that deer-in-the-headlights look from him, it's Auntie Newton that does that! Those other boys could do with a firm hand like her's."

Mike Newton was the youngest child of Mr and Mrs. Newton, a rambunctious, blue-eyed boy who was captain of the baseball team. Whenever he found out that Bella was in town, he would always find a reason to drive up to the secluded Swan house. Charlie would never allow Mike in the house, or any boy that was not related to him, so he'd lounge around on the porch and boast to Bella about his baseball records.

Tyler was more aloof and only briefly liked Bella, quickly loosing interest in Bella after discovering that she enjoyed reading and staying home and wanting no part in his shenanigans. Eric Yorkie was the third member, but he hardly ever talked to anyone.

"I saw you working at Newton's, never had the chance to talk to you because you always seemed busy," Tyler laughed and stared at Bella from head to toe, "Looked a little spaced out, too."

Bella blushed from embarrassment.

"Yeah, uh, it was hard sometimes."

"I bet, Mrs. Newton is a force to be reckon with. Always scared the shit out of me, I can't imagine working for her." Tyler then closed his magazine and stood up, "Anyways, welcome to Moe's! What can I help you with, Bella?"

"My heater. It stopped working and I'm not sure how to fix it this time. Orif I need a new one."

Tyler nodded and asked for the model of the heater, when Bella told him, he erupted into a roar of laughter.

Bella's blush returned and her eyebrows came together, "I don't understand what's so funny."

Tyler's laughter increased when he noticed Bella's cheeks. He went around the counter and stepped in front of Bella, he wrapped his arms around Bella and gave her a hard hug. He smelled like dirt and cologne. Before Bella could push him away, he let go of her and pinched her cheeks, "I forgot how cute your blush was. No wonder Newton was starry-eyed over your Bella. Listen, hun, that heater of yours is very old and I'm honestly surprised it took this long to give out. That old bitch should have been replaced like twenty years ago, if I'm perfectly honest. You're going to need a new one pronto."

Bella wanted to kick Tyler on the shins for laughing at her and pinching her cheeks, but she had to restrain herself because she really needed this heater.

"Sorry but I haven't been in Forks long and this is the first time it's broken down," she spat at him.

Tyler rolled his eyes, not believing a word she said.

"Sure, sure," He raised his hands in defense, "All the same, you're going to need a new one and it's going to cost you a pretty penny or two."

Tyler opened up a catalog sitting on the counter and flipped to a page, he pointed at a few models ranging from a thousand dollars to five. Bella's mouth fell open and she stared blankly at the magazine, unsure how to respond.

"I know, these babies are not cheap. You can always drive up to Pork Angeles and look for some, but I can guaranteed you the prices will be about the same. Plus, there will be instillation fees because I imagine you have no idea how to do that."

"I...I...I don't know what to do, I can't afford this."

"What can you afford?"

"Maybe $300," she whisper. She was being generous, too. This would require less chicken meals and more fish and bread.

Tyler shook his head, sympathy in his eyes, "You're not getting anywhere near a new heater with that number. But what I can do for you is give you the number of Workshop in Port Angeles, they'll drive up and look at your machine. I hardly doubt they'll fix it without an additional few hundred, but they'll probably let you know what's wrong and how to fix it yourself."

Tyler grabbed a piece of paper and scribbled a name and number on it.

Bella took the paper and thanked Tyler. As she was walking out Tyler called out to Bella, "If you ever have any free time, you should come to Forge's Bar. The boys and I like to kick it all night and I'm sure they'd love to see you again."

Bella smiled but offered no promises to stop by.

When Bella got into her truck, she read the name on the paper.

 _Edward and Son's Services._

When she got home, she called the office. They offered to send someone out in the morning to look at her heater.


End file.
